Lewis Taylor and Zach Merrett deserving as AFL rising stars

By
JUSTINE McCULLAGH-BEASY

LEWIS Taylor and Zach Merrett grew up playing on muddy Western District ovals for Hampden league rivals.

Small forwards Zach Merrett, of Essendon (left), and Lewis Taylor, of Brisbane Lions, have flourished in their AFL debut seasons. Pictures: GETTY IMAGES

LEWIS Taylor and Zach Merrett grew up playing on muddy Western District ovals for Hampden league rivals.

They were drafted into the AFL within two picks of each other last November, debuted in round one for their respective sides and earned rising star nominations two rounds apart.

They combined for 41 of a possible 44 games in 2014 — Taylor played all 22 matches for a rebuilding Brisbane and Merrett notched 19 appearances for finals-bound Essendon.

Little separated the pair statistically and their onfield traits — poise, efficiency and consistency — should ensure they’re among the judges’ thinking when the AFL rising star award is announced tomorrow.

Taylor is one of the favourites, along with Western Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli, to take out the coveted prize and join elite company including Lions triple premiership captain Michael Voss, St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt, Geelong three-time premiership midfielder Joel Selwood and Sydney’s two-time Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes on the honour roll.

Merrett is expected to poll strongly under the five-vote system too.

Bontempelli is the prototype of a modern footballer: tall, agile and with a big engine.

The number four draft pick shot to prominence after he bamboozled Melbourne’s defence to kick a match-winning major — a goal of the year contender — in round 15.

Bontempelli then sky-rocketed into rising star calculations on the back of a series of eye-catching displays.